Brooklynn Miles is a "Perfect Fit" for Kentucky WBB

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Coming off of a disappointing 2022-23 season, head coach Kyra Elzy knew that it was time for a shift within the program. After taking a long look at what Kentucky needed, Elzy discovered that her team lacked a sense of competitiveness. Sure, the team put their best effort in on the court, but they were missing something. Enter 2021 Miss Kentucky Basketball winner Brooklynn Miles.

During her two seasons at Tennessee, the Frankfort (KY) product wasn’t seeing a whole lot of time on the court, but she made sure to make every moment count. Miles was a small dog with a big bite. She was a scrappy, annoying defender at just 5-foot-4 and a vocal leader on both sides of the ball, and that’s exactly what Elzy was looking for.

After not landing her out of high school, Elzy made it a priority to bring the Franklin County native to her home state and her home team when she entered the transfer portal. Miles, a former three-star recruit, signed with UK shortly in May, after entering the portal. Since then, she’s stood out all throughout summer workouts and morning practices. Coach Elzy made note of that at SEC Media Day.

Having a Dog Mentality

It has been no secret that Brooklynn Miles is a hard worker with the ultimate competitive spirit. When Kyra Elzy took the podium at SEC Media Day on Thursday, she made sure to give praise to her newly acquired guard.

“It’s been great having her back. Brooklynn [Miles] brings that dog and edge that we need,” Elzy said. “She’s very competitive, she’s a vocal leader, but she also understands what it means to put that Kentucky jersey on.”

Despite the small sample size of playing time as a Lady Vol, Miles showed Elzy everything she needed to see, and that has carried over in Lexington. She has been the spark that the team has desperately needed for the better part of two seasons now. Clearly, her personality and mentality dictate how Miles carries herself onto the floor, and that has led to success so far this offseason.

A Chip on Her Shoulder

When Elzy and guard Maddie Scherr joined the SEC Network crew on television, Miles, again, was praised for the edge that she brings to the team. Miles was described as being a “perfect fit” to the team because she has that “edge” and “chip” to her, and Elzy had to agree with that sentiment.

Elzy noted, “She has that dog in her, that edge about herself. She can wear the ball out 94 feet. What coach doesn’t love that? But then her ability to push in transition.” Elzy then talked even more about how big Miles can be, even on the offensive side of the ball.

“She gives us another veteran point guard on the floor. We can move Maddie [Scherr] around so she’s not stuck at the point if we want to run her off screens, let someone else bring it. She brings us veteran experience with a winning mentality.”

Miles will be an instrumental piece of the 2023-24 team. On defense, she can be a pesky defender who can create havoc as an on-ball defender. In transition, she can push the ball up the floor to create scoring opportunities, which was a struggle last season. Then, on offense, she can be valuable as a point guard, allowing Scherr to play the two where both could really thrive.